Future at Eintracht: Glasner’s keynote speech

Oliver Glasner went on the offensive. The Frankfurt Eintracht coach does that again and again. On Thursday, towards the end of the routine press conference before a Bundesliga game, it seemed as if the Austrian had been waiting for exactly this one question. It has been asked of him several times in the past few weeks. But now the Eintracht coach took plenty of time in a familiar Frankfurt environment in the professional camp to explain objectively and calmly what is happening with his job in Frankfurt.

The starting point of Glasner’s almost three-minute monologue was the claim to be selfish. “I was accused of that in some medium,” said Glasner and continued: “If I’m selfish now, I’ll extend the contract, get more money, have an exit clause written in it. And if they kick me out, I’ll get more cash too. That’s selfishness,” said the 48-year-old football coach, before asking a question – and answering it himself. “And what am I doing? I don’t do that, because it’s about much more than the banalities.” He emphasized: “For me it’s important: If I commit myself to an employer and a project, then I want to know: What does that look like? When I’m selfish I say it doesn’t matter. The main thing is that I take the coal with me. But that’s not my point.”

“We are in talks”

The Eintracht coach emphasized: “We are in talks, we don’t have the huge time pressure because I still have a year’s contract.” To explain: When Glasner took up the job in Frankfurt to succeed his compatriot Adi Hütter, who left the club prematurely, he agreed on a term until mid-2024. In the meantime, he has received an offer from sporting director Markus Krösche to extend this agreement ahead of schedule. Glasner has not yet publicly responded to this offer – presumably two more years up to and including June 30, 2026. At first he feels bound by the original agreement.

“The entire squad, common direction – we’re all planning that together,” said Glasner about the ongoing discussions with Krösche and licensed player manager Timmo Hardung, who is soon to be promoted within the club and promoted to sports director. Another reason why we plan together is “because I expect to be here again next year. We’re looking at what the future should look like here. If I find myself in this project, there will be a contract extension. And if not, then not.”

“Has nothing to do with selfishness at all”

Glasner concluded that it had “nothing, absolutely nothing to do with delaying, selfishness or poker”. For the football coach, the crucial thing is: “I just want to know: where is Eintracht going?” But internally we are completely relaxed.” Turning to the reporters, Glasner said: “Let’s all assume that I’ll still be a coach here next year.”

If so, in the coming season he can look back on a Bundesliga season that is now entering the home stretch and “crunch time”, as Glasner recently said. Six games left. Six games that will decide whether the desired return to Europe will be successful via the Bundesliga core business, “in which we definitely want to finish in the top six”. Or whether it takes two more bonus games to hear international anthems. In the DFB Cup, in which Eintracht is in the semi-finals and wants to buy a ticket for the trip to Berlin’s Olympic Stadium from VfB Stuttgart on May 3, Eintracht expects good chances, as in previous years.

Of course there is a chance to win this Saturday’s top game under floodlights at Borussia Dortmund (6.30 p.m. in the FAZ live ticker for the Bundesliga and on Sky). But is she really big? BVB is in great shape. He has won all of the last eight home games, and the ambitious Dortmunders are also the best home team of all 18 Bundesliga teams. Also: Since Glasner has been working in the Bundesliga, competitive games against BVB have been sobering affairs for him. Neither with his predecessor club VfL Wolfsburg nor now with Eintracht has he scored a single point.

Time to get things moving? Jesper Lindstrom, Hrvoje Smolcic, Kristian Jakic, Evan Ndicka – they are all injured. Glasner has to do a bit of magic, and if defensive man Almamy Touré doesn’t get fit properly and in time, the Eintracht coach will leave a place in the squad because he simply has no other alternatives. The Frankfurt formula for the difficult game in Dortmund is therefore: Who can play where with whom. Glasner has to think about it. Now – and for the future.